


Twelve Days

by alafaye



Series: Twelve Days [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-25
Updated: 2012-02-25
Packaged: 2017-10-31 18:00:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/346882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Over the course of 12 days, Harry and Draco fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twelve Days

_On the first day..._

It was the fourteenth of December and the entire world was getting ready for the coming holidays. Harry was happy because he was able to pick out the Christmas tree this year and decorate his home. To him, this was important because it was the first time he was the one deciding what tree was put up and what decorations went where. However, it was also a sad Christmas because there wasn't anyone to celebrate with.

Ginny had moved on with Dean in that last year when Harry had been hunting for the Horcruxes and the two were spending the holiday with Dean's family. With all the children moved out, Molly and Arthur were going to the continent, for a well deserved vacation. Hermione and Ron were going to her parents' house. The rest of the Weasley family were getting together at Bill's, to see the new baby. Remus was with Sirius in the States.

Which is why Harry found himself watching Diagon Alley as shoppers did their holiday shopping, sharing a cup of coffee with Hermione. He wondered, though, why she didn't want to meet at his house. They might have actually not bumped elbows with the other patrons of the shoppe. He might have also been able to yell the way he wanted to when Hermione told him the reason for her call.

"And why did you volunteer me for this?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione in disbelief.

Hermione smiled. Well, smirked, actually and then looked pointedly around Diagon Alley. "For the same reason you have been sitting in on the trials of the Death Eaters and our fellow students."

Harry blinked. He didn't think he'd been obvious and he still didn't know what that had to do with why he was being given custody of one of their fellow former students. "I still don't understand. Just because I don't think that they all should be convicted and sent to Azkaban--"

Hermione clucked her tongue and shook her head. "That's just it, Harry. The public knows that you're doing well, but they just think you're being kind. Nothing else."

"Well, yeah. I know. Still--"

"If you do this, Harry, then it will make people think. Everyone knows that your history with him was very violent and that you were the first to condemn him for being evil and a Death Eater. If you do this, then they will really begin to consider thinking about these trials and whether all of them should end with a sentence to Azkaban."

Harry sighed and, as Hermione had done, he looked around the alley for a closer look. He did notice the way no one would stay and chat in the alley for long. None of the shoppers, either, would look up. They were all moving quickly, fearfully. No one knew who to trust any more. Harry wondered if this was how it was like after the first time around with Voldemort or if it was worse now.

Merlin, Hermione was right. No matter how much he hated using his fame, he knew that this was the right thing to do. If only for the other wizards and witches to realize it was okay to give second chances. To show them that it was time to trust each other again to make a better world, where orphans didn't turn into murdering psychopaths.

"Fine. When do I have to pick him up?"

She looked at her watch. "Now."

Harry went wide-eyed and stood quickly. "Didn't waste much time, did you?"

She only smiled and waved her hand blithely as he ran to the nearest Apparation point.

~~~

Harry actually arrived before the boat even left the island and realized that while Hermione had waited to tell Harry, she had left him enough time to get here. He watched with trepidation as the boat rowed closer, eyeing Malfoy. He knew that regardless of what Malfoy had faced in the war and with the Dementors, Malfoy would still likely be a git. If he could keep the wards strong, he might just be able to hide from the public the spectacular fights they would have.

The first days after this stay in Azkaban were sure to be quiet, while Malfoy rested from the effects of the Dementors. However, Harry knew that with a few good meals, the quiet in the house would be broken. Maybe Harry could find a way to call for a truce?

Harry sighed as the boat rocked onto the shore and waiting as the guards made a big show, trying not to tap his foot in impatience. Really, he knew that they wanted to see Malfoy suffer along with the others, but they didn't have to rub it in. It would be one more thing to piss off Malfoy and they wouldn't have to deal with the effects.

"All right, Potter," one of them, the bigger of the two, said. "This is very simple. For the next three months, he has restricted movement and will be watched when he's in public. Since they didn't want to intrude on your privacy, there's a spell on him so if he uses any magic, the Aurors will know. He can only go into Diagon Alley, but he won't have access to his family vaults until the three months are up. Keep him from breaking the law, both wizard and Muggle. Understand?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. No problem."

The guard, the one who hadn't spoken, had unlocked the chains from Malfoy's wrists and ankles. He then tossed a bag, which Harry assumed was Malfoy's personal belongings, and tipped his head. The other followed suit and then they both took off in the boat, back to the island.

Malfoy wasn't looking up, only at the ground. Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed Malfoy's arm so they could Apparate. When they landed in the backyard of Grimmauld Place, Malfoy yanked his arm away and snatched up his things.

"Where's my room?" Malfoy asked. His throat was scratchy, like it had been at the trial. Harry wondered what Malfoy had done during the war that he hadn't used his voice that much. Unless...Harry shook his head, unwilling to think of why else Malfoy's throat was damaged.

"This way," Harry said. They passed the living room where the lights were twinkling on the tree. It was a charm Hermione had found, that didn't use electricity and could be set to be on all day or just at night. Harry liked the festive feel of the lights, so they were on all the time.

He was on the stairs when he saw that Malfoy was staring into the living room. He walked down and said, "I think there are some extra stockings, if you want to put one up."

Malfoy glared at him. "And why would I want to do that?"

Harry sighed and switched the subject. Was he the only one who liked the idea of a stocking? "I know your mum is still at Malfoy Manor. If you want, there are a few catalogs you could order from."

"Just show me my room, Potter," Malfoy muttered.

It was at least a try, right? Harry would have offered money to Malfoy, but knew it would have been thrown in his face. They got to the second floor and to a room Harry had finally cleared out. "This is it. The bathroom is across the hall with fresh towels. I'm a couple of rooms that way. You can help yourself to the food."

Malfoy sniffed. "Thank you. I think I'll have a shower and nap. I...Thank you."

Without anything more, Malfoy closed the door and Harry sighed. _Merry Christmas,_ he thought. _Oh, what a Christmas._

_On the second day..._

So far, it was going swimmingly. Just as Harry had predicted, it was going to take a while for Malfoy to recuperate from his brief stay in Azkaban. It did leave Harry wondering what demons Malfoy did have. He wasn't vindictive about it; he had grown up some and didn't want to know for revenge's sake. He was just curious.

Malfoy had not come out of his room, but since he didn't have his wand, Harry had heard the screams of anguish that came with nightmares. Harry hadn't been bothered as he hardly slept since the war, but it still had torn at him, knowing that he could do nothing. They were not friends in the least so there was no way he could go and comfort Malfoy. Nevertheless, Harry wished he could offer some kind of comfort.

Maybe Harry did have a hero complex.

The morning after Harry had been given custody of Malfoy, he was making breakfast and heard the sounds of shuffling feet. Harry turned from the stove and saw Malfoy, hovering in the doorway. He looked so...heartbroken and lost and unsure that Harry almost--almost--went over to him and hugged him. 

If only he had been sure of Malfoy's reaction. If he only knew that the action wouldn't cause Malfoy to push him away or make Malfoy run out of the kitchen and back into his room.

Great. Now Harry was treating Malfoy like he was a skittish animal and not a free human being. A voice inside Harry's head suggested he try and use the other wizard's name, Draco, so as to give _Draco_ more respect. Harry mentally shrugged his shoulders and decided to give it a try.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, instead of forcing conversation and acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary, Harry returned to making breakfast. He focused, casually, on the tasks of mixing eggs, flipping pancakes and turning bacon. He hoped his casual attitude would not scare Draco away, back to his bedroom.

It eventually worked. He heard more shuffling behind him and then the scrape of a chair on the floor.

Harry then slowly turned and set plates down on the table. He gathered the butter, juice and tea from the counter and sat. When he started to eat, it was with the attitude that he wasn't sitting opposite his school enemy and the one person who had every reason still to hate him.

He watched, out of the corner of his eye, as Draco began to eat and then, finding it satisfactory, ate faster. When Harry turned to _Accio_ the jelly for his toast, he heard Draco leave. Quickly. Harry turned, confused, to find the food on Draco's plate had been eaten entirely and there were no crumbs.

Oh, well. _At least he ate_ , Harry thought silently.

It continued throughout the day and Harry began to wonder if Draco had cast a spell to know when Harry was cooking. He also wondered if Draco knew how to cook at all. The nagging voice in his head told him that it was more likely that Draco was unsure of what the Muggle appliances were.

After lunch, Harry was in the living room, watching the lights on the tree flash and he wondered if it was a good idea to show Draco around the house, show him how to use the Muggle appliances. Or to show Draco what projects Harry was working on, so Draco would have something to do.

Then, another voice, one that sounded oddly like Ron, said that Draco was unlikely to do anything. He had grown up in a manor house, after all, with house-elves. Draco wouldn't like doing anything for himself. He would just shove Harry's ideas back at him.

In the end, Harry decided that he would wait a few days. See how well Draco was recovering. After that, Harry would slowly show Draco what he could do around the house and how the Muggle appliances worked so he could help himself instead of being dependent on Harry.

Now that was the first real plan Harry had heard in a couple of days.

_On the third day..._

It had been inevitable. Really. Harry had always known that he didn't have the best habits, especially since the war because there was no one else in the house and he had the freedom to do what he wanted on his own schedule. Still, he had woken each morning, aware that there would come a day when Draco would criticize something. He started to clean his own room before starting the rest of the house, and made sure to shower every night, so he didn't offend by odor. He also took out his best clothes, so that he wouldn't have to hear about those.

But, again, he knew there would come a day when Draco would speak up about something Harry had done to offend.

As soon as Harry had woken up and made breakfast, he had heard the sound that he knew was the beginning of his downfall. "Really, Potter," Draco sneered. "You can't expect me to eat this kind of food every morning. It's not healthy."

He also realized that he had been wrong with his assumption about Draco. He had thought the other boy would need at least a week to recover, a week Harry had needed to clean his own self up. Now, Harry saw his careful plan fall to pieces. Well, until he could get the other boy to start helping around the house. If Draco was distracted by a project, Harry could continue to clean his own act up.

In the present, Harry's immediate reaction was to turn and fling the pan. The prat almost deserved it. Harry was only there to make sure that Draco didn't break any laws and to get the public to grow a better conscience. Not to wait hand and foot on Draco (Harry knew he was exaggerating, but he was upset) and certainly not to change his own diet to suit Draco's.

In addition, Draco didn't have any room to complain about the food. Nor anything else, Harry added silently, praying he hadn't jinxed himself. He was a guest, plain and simple. Not the Lord of the Manor.

Instead of flinging the pan, though, Harry turned the tables. "Didn't know you were worried about your figure." Calmly, as if Harry hadn't been so angry he'd seen red a moment ago.

He turned and set the food down, not watching Draco. He just began to eat, knowing well that Draco would not be one to turn down food. Not after the meals in Azkaban.

It was after the meal that trouble came. Draco sneered again and pushed his plate way, almost off the table, before leaving the room again.

It had happened all day. Draco had come out of his shell and had decided to wander the house, inspecting it, Harry suspected. Every time they ran into each other, Draco looked pointedly at something in the room and _sneered_.

Sneered.

When Draco had claimed to have retired to his room after dinner (during which Draco had complained a total of five times), Harry had decided it was time to take another shower. Unfortunately, Draco had been wandering around the floor when Harry had left the shower.

"I suppose someone with hair like _yours_ has to take a shower ever day," Draco said, looking Harry up and down. His disdain was obvious.

Harry sighed and continued on to his room, chanting to himself that he would not let Draco get to him. That this...arrangement...didn't mean they had to interact with each other.

If only he could remember that the next day.

_On the fourth day..._

_**That was it.** _

Harry wasn't surprised that they had kept the peace for almost four days, but he still was fed up. He was angry. Angry that Draco could seemingly recover so quickly from a traumatic event like Azkaban; that Draco was sneering at every little thing--as if Harry wasn't doing his best. As if Harry wasn't working like a house-elf to keep things in order so Draco didn't have anything to complain about; as if Harry wasn't doing Draco a favor by keeping the git out of Azkaban.

That was the final straw, really. When Harry realized how...Hufflepuff-ish he was being. It was his house, his food; he was acting like a house-elf; like he owed Draco the favors. It was very clearly the other way around. He was letting Draco treat him like a house-elf.

Enough.

Harry grabbed the list of Draco's demands--a list of what Draco wanted from Diagon Alley, like clothes and potions ingredients--and stormed up to Draco's room.

"What, Potter?" Draco yelled when he opened the door.

Harry threw that paper right into Draco's snarling face. "That's it, you git! I've had enough of you making me feel inferior to you! I am not a house-elf you can boss around and I am not less than you are!"

Draco's face screwed so spectacularly that Harry swore it could have stayed that way. "What the fuck are you talking about? I've said almost nothing to you since I got here and only seen you when we happened to bump into each other! I. HAVE. DONE. NOTHING!"

Harry was shaking with his rage. "Yeah, that's right! Nothing! You haven't offered to cook or clean the dishes or even the house! And then instead of asking me for a trip out or even saying please, you give me this list of demands! I've had enough."

Draco blinked. "What?"

Harry took a deep breath to calm down. "Instead of sitting in here or wandering the house, judging it by standards so lofty only the Malfoy house-elves could attain them, you could help! If you don't like what I cook, make something for yourself. If you don't like the way the house looks, roll your sleeves up and fix it!"

Draco stepped back, looking conflicted. There was a tense silence, both wizards glaring, when Draco finally said, "How can I do any of that when I don't know how to?" He sounded strained, like it had hurt to say the question.

Harry sighed. "I'll show you. I'll even pay you for what work you do so you can get what you need from Diagon Alley."

Draco narrowed his eyes, obviously thinking. Harry wondered if Draco was thinking over some old teachings from Lucius Malfoy, about how Malfoys didn't work. After some moments, Draco nodded stiffly. "All right. So long as I don't have to go out to get them myself."

Harry nodded. "No problem. If you want, I can show you how everything works and then what needs to be done here."

"No," Draco said quickly. "I'll clean up the rooms that have been gutted all ready. I'll leave you to look through all the ancient stuff. It is yours after all. Only you should go through it."

Harry was stunned by this thoughtful sentence and it seemed Draco was, as well. "Let's start with the kitchen, all right? So you don't have to eat what I make."

Draco nodded and followed Harry down. As they went through every bit, Harry was glad that they would now have separate tasks to do. This way, there would be fewer arguments. He was also glad that he would have the time to go through the house by himself. He knew that not all of it was Sirius', but in a way, it was. It was personal to Harry and he made a note to find a way to thank Draco for the consideration.

_On the fifth day..._

Harry stood and stretched his back, looking around the mostly gutted room. There was the bureau and bed still, but he had put the artifacts in a bag. He had no knack for the spells that would detect what was cursed and had simply put it all in a sack. He would drop it off later on, when he went out to Diagon Alley, and make sure that what wasn't cursed went to families and orphans who needed such items.

His stomach grumbled, reminding him why it was a good thing he had finished when he had. A Tempus Charm proved it was almost dinner time and he had missed lunch. Smiling, and satisfied with the day's work, he closed the door and went downstairs.

As he passed Sirius' room, he felt his anger build up. He had locked this door for a reason! How had Malfoy gotten in there?

"What are you doing?" he yelled, not caring how much he might have scared Draco and he missed the look of confusion and fear that briefly crossed over the other boy's face.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Draco yelled back. "I'm doing what I _volunteered_ to do!"

Harry snarled and pulled the other boy out of the room before redoing the wards on the door. "That was Sirius' room! I had it locked for a reason!"

"Then you should have told your house-elf that!" Draco hissed.

Kreacher? Harry shook his head. Later. "What do you mean?"

"When I couldn't get the door unlocked, your house-elf opened the door for me," Draco replied.

Harry's fists clenched in an effort to keep from punching Draco. "Did it ever occur to you that it was locked for a reason?"

"What does it matter?" Draco asked. "He was a murderer! The man who betrayed your parents!"

No sooner had Draco said the last word than he was falling backwards, blood flying from his face. Harry quickly followed and was punching every bit of Draco he could. When he paused for breath, his anger melting away, Draco retaliated.

Neither of them knew how long they fought for, but it ended when they rolled to the end of the hallway and down the stairs.

"Damn it, Potter," Draco moaned.

Harry tried to throw in a last kick as he held his ribs and then laid his head back down on the floor. "Good thing that didn't happen back in school."

Draco chuckled. "Just call that house-elf of yours. I'm pants at healing spells and I know I twisted my ankle on that fall."

~~~

Kreacher, of course, healed Harry first and once Draco was fixed up, Harry asked, "Why are you still here, Kreacher?"

Kreacher narrowed his eyes as he bent low to the ground. "Where else would I be, Master?"

"I thought you had died," Harry said. "Why didn't you tell me you survived?"

Kreacher twisted his pillowcase in his knobbly hands and glanced at Draco. "M-mistress Bellatrix told me to stay hidden, Master."

Harry sighed. Of course. And since the insane witch had died, Kreacher had kept obeying the order. Harry didn't want the elf around the house, but he certainly couldn't release him. There were still plenty of enemies out there. Luckily, there was only Draco left of the Black family.

"Kreacher, I have no use for you here," Harry said and nearly laughed at the way the elf's eyes bulged at the sentence. "I want you to go to Hogwarts. You will only ever speak to Headmistress McGonagall and the other house-elves as it pertains to your duties in the castle. You will only return here if I call you and you will not leave Hogwarts. Is that clear?"

Kreacher screwed up his face in concentration, but finally nodded and popped away.

"And why don't you want the elf here?" Draco asked.

"Because he's no use here," Harry said. "He'll nick most of the stuff I try to get out of here and put it in the burner room. If I tell him to clean the house, what am I going to do all day?"

"Get a job like most normal people?" Draco suggested with a smirk.

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He started making a pot of tea. "I like doing things for myself. Makes me feel like I have earned the right to use the place I live in."

"Is that what I have to do then?" Draco asked with a snarl in his voice.

"No," Harry answered. "I was only talking about myself. You aren't exactly my guest, so you do need to do your part of the chores. It's only fair, right?"

"I suppose it's how those without servants do it," Draco sniffed.

Harry turned, ready to start another fight, but raised his eyebrows at the joking look on Draco's face. "It is."

Draco sighed and put his chin in his hand. "I'll get used to it. Sooner or later."

Harry laughed. 

_On the sixth day..._

Harry yawned as he stumbled into the kitchen and raised his eyebrows when he saw breakfast had been made all ready. He wondered if perhaps Kreacher had disobeyed him until he saw Draco turn from the coffee pot, two cups in hand.

"I found some of your cook books," Draco said, looking embarrassed.

Harry sat down. "That's all right." He filled a plate and moaned at the burst of flavor.

"It's good then?" Draco asked, looking nervous. He had sat down, but was waiting to hear Harry's answer instead of filling his own plate.

"Very," Harry said. "Thanks."

Draco smiled and started eating himself. "You’re welcome."

~~~

Harry smiled as he shut the door on another room. He was surprised. He had done all but two rooms in the last couple of days. He would have to go out and get some new sheets and curtains and maybe some rugs for the new rooms, but soon, Sirius' place would look better than it had in probably centuries.

Naturally, he had missed lunch again. He went down to the second floor to fetch Draco so they could both stop for the night. He was stopped, though, when he saw that Draco was bent over, looking under the bed for dust bunnies, or so Harry assumed.

It was the sight of Draco's arse that made Harry stop. He had never actually looked at another man before. Always girls. He had no reason, after all, to look anywhere else. Not that he had done much looking. He had been preoccupied in school with keeping Voldemort out of his head or chasing some mystery that Dumbledore had set up for him.

There had been fourth year when he had to find a date for the ball, but he had been too overwhelmed with the fact that he had to actually _talk_ with any girl to know what he had thought of as pretty. Even now, as he shut his eyes to think properly, he didn't really know what kind of features he liked in a girl.

He opened his eyes when he heard something in the room and gulped, his body responding to the sight now presented to him. Draco had knelt down on his hands and knees to reach for something and his arse kept shifting as he stretched out in his efforts.

Less disturbed than he thought he might've been (if he had ever thought about it), he cleared his throat. Which only caused Draco to jump and hit his head.

"Fuck, Harry," he moaned, clutching his head with both hands.

Harry _Accio'd_ a pain potion and handed it over to Draco. "Sorry."

Draco took it and sighed. "Is there something you needed?"

Idly, Harry wondered why he thought that even covered in dust and dirt, Draco looked beautiful. After all, he had never looked at Ginny that way. In the present, he said, "It's late. I was going to make dinner and thought you might want to wash up."

"Oh," Draco said. He looked Harry up and down. "Why don't you take the first shower? I'd rather not have whatever you got into today in the food. I've got to finish up here anyway."

"All right," Harry agreed. "I'll let you know when I'm done in the shower."

Draco waved him off and went back to looking for the lost object under the bed. Harry walked out, determined not to look, and failed. He sighed when he felt his boner return at the sight of Draco on his hands and knees, long hair flowing over his shoulder.

Yeah, a shower would be good.

~~~

Harry fixed a simple dish of garlic bread and pasta, not really feeling up to anything too complicated. He called up to Draco that it was ready and sat down to eat. He would have waited, but his stomach felt like it was eating itself. If he had been a bit more truthful, he would have even admitted that he didn't want to see Draco, still wet from his shower. It was rather uncomfortable for him now, seeing as how he finally had realized that his...roommate was...attractive.

"I haven't had this since I visited Italy before Hogwarts," Draco said as he sat down and made a plate up. It was rather full.

"I hope it'll be as good as you remember," Harry chuckled.

Draco smiled. "It better be. Or I'll make sure you get over to Italy to learn a proper recipe. Pass the bread, could you?"

"Sure," Harry said as he passed the basket by his elbow. As he did so, Draco's hand grazed his and he felt his face flush at the tingle. It wasn't a feeling of warmth or zing like with Ginny, but it was something. He wondered if Draco had felt it.

A quick look said not. Feeling disappointed, Harry looked down and concentrated on his food.

They finished in the same time, surprisingly, and Draco gathered his dishes. "I'll clean up since you made it."

As Draco passed Harry to the sink, Harry could've sworn he felt Draco's hand across his arm, but when he looked, Draco was all ready at the sink. He started to pick up the serving bowl of pasta, but Draco pressed against him to get it.

"Let me," Draco whispered. He lingered behind Harry longer than was necessary, but it was long enough for Harry to feel the half-hard penis in Draco's pants.

Blushing hotly, Harry said he was going to bed earlier and that he would see the other wizard in the morning. In bed, Harry lay for several hours, trying to figure his own self out. Was he attracted to Draco? Was he attracted to men? But what about the girls he had dated? Was Draco just playing around?

Midnight rolled around and as Harry dropped off to sleep, he had no answers still.

_On the seventh day..._

Harry avoided looking at Draco over breakfast. In fact, he grabbed some toast before dashing off to the third floor, claiming that he wanted an early start since he only had two rooms to go. He soon lost himself in the process.

He finished just past two and smiled to himself, pleased. Not only had he been too preoccupied with the cleaning to think about Draco and his own problems, but now all he had to do was dust and put clean linens up.

He started down to the kitchen for some sandwiches and tea when he was stopped on the second floor.

"Harry?"

Harry turned and looked at Draco, who was leaning his head out of one of the bedrooms. "Yeah?"

"We need some Doxycide," Draco told him. He pointed to the room next to the one he was in. "They're in the curtains in that room. I went to look for some, but there isn't any left. Well, there is, but not enough for that infestation. I would have called for your house-elf to pick some up, but you banished him to Hogwarts."

Harry nodded. "All right. I've got to go into Diagon Alley to pick up some new linens for the rooms anyway. I'll pick it up this afternoon and we can tackle them tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Draco said. He lowered his eyelashes to half-mast and swept his eyes up and down Harry's body. "I look forward to seeing how well we can work together." The way he had said "work", made Harry think of other things they could work at together. Such as things done in a clean bedroom.

Blushing, Harry nodded. "S-sure. Yeah. T-that's fine. I'm going to make some lunch. Want some?"

Draco licked his lips. "Sounds good. I've only got one more thing to do here and then I'll clean up for lunch."

Harry turned on his heel and tried to not think about how much he wanted to be the one to lick Draco's lips. How unfair was it that Draco got to lick his own lips whenever he wanted to and Harry couldn't?

Now _that_ thought was enough to stop Harry in his tracks. Where had that come from? He knew he had thought about what it would be like to kiss Draco, but to have actually _whined_ that he couldn't lick those red lips?

 _Argh!_ Harry thought to himself, stomping down the stairs. Maybe he just needed to get laid?

He set about making a pot of tea and a couple of ham sandwiches--which weren't put together too well--while convincing himself that he was only lonely and needed to find himself a girl. Or boy. Somehow, he knew he wasn't averse to the idea of dating a guy. Just maybe not someone so...blond?

With a huff, he sat down and put his head in his hands. So blond? A voice sounding suspiciously like Hermione told him, "Why don't you just admit you want Draco? Would it be so bad?"

"Honestly, Harry," Draco said as he went to the stove, "can't you even make a pot of tea?"

Harry looked up and sighed. Maybe..it wouldn't be so bad? He shrugged. "Guess not."

Draco smirked as he poured out two cups. "I'll just have to show you."

Harry blushed as he took in both those words--which Harry doubted had anything to do with making tea--and the look Draco was sending him. "Y-yeah."

"I'm going to eat out on the back table. Get some sun." Draco grabbed the sandwich Harry had made him and went out.

Harry sighed and turned to his own sandwich. And for the rest of the day, he tried to convince himself that it wasn't a good idea to take Draco to his room and bugger the hell out of the other wizard. Which made him wonder how exactly two men would have sex and he braved his own embarrassment to pick up a book in a Muggle shop.

It didn't help him at all. In fact, now that he knew exactly how two men did it, his fantasies had taken on a whole new level. As he picked up another sandwich for dinner, he avoided Draco, hoping the other wizard didn't notice his nervousness and hoping he wouldn't catch another one of those looks that made him want to do everything his filthy mind could come up with.

It was another long night for Harry.

_On the eighth day..._

Harry put an extra scoop of coffee in the pot, needing the caffeine. He had slept the night before, but it hadn't been restful. He had tossed and turned the whole night, dreaming about what he wanted to do to Draco and having brief nightmares about the possibility that Draco was only using him.

His instincts, which he admitted might not be 100% correct, were telling him to trust Draco and trust that the other boy was the same one who had been unable to kill Dumbledore. That just maybe Draco had been changed by the events following his father's incarceration after fifth-year.

"Have a bad night, Harry?" Draco asked as he took a sip of the coffee.

Harry half shrugged. "Sort of."

Draco chuckled and dug into the eggs which had been put under a warming charm when Harry had made his own. "I can tell. I've never had coffee that strong. I thought only Americans made it that way."

Harry laughed and put his head in his hand as he watched the other wizard eat. He had to admit--Draco did look graceful no matter what he did. "At least I didn't make it as strong as the French do."

Draco nodded. "They do like a strong cup." He took another sip. "When did you get to visit France, if I may ask?"

"Shortly after the war," Harry replied. "The reporters and public kept hounding me for what had happened when I went out with Ron and Hermione in what should have been our seventh-year. Even after I got a restraining order against most of them. So, Hermione found a strong glamour for me and I left for Paris in the middle of the night. It was a welcome escape. I stayed there for a couple of months."

"Until everyone was suddenly interested in who was being locked up," Draco finished. "I remember hearing about it. The only thing in the paper was about you and your life. What they found out anyway. And then, it was only about who was on trial that day or week."

"Wait, what?" Harry asked as he put the cup down. "What about my life did they print?"

Draco studied Harry as he explained. "They never found out anything about your life before Hogwarts, but they did several interviews with the students who went to Hogwarts when you were there."

Harry let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "Good."

Draco put his fork down. "Why does it matter?"

Harry got up and put his cup in the sink. "Nothing important. I'm going to go get the sheets I got yesterday. I washed them when I woke up this morning. Let me know when you're ready to tackle those doxies."

"No problem," Draco called to him.

Harry ignored the tiny kernel of guilt that had suddenly popped into his chest. He didn't have anything to be guilty about. It wasn't like Draco should know. And it didn't matter, really. He just didn't want the general wizarding population to know about his past. He might've been the person who killed Voldemort, but he didn't need sympathy from strangers. That was all.

~~~

After Harry finished putting in the next load of sheets in the washer, setting others in to dry, and folding the ones which had dried, he went to the kitchen and found the dishes from breakfast had been done. Draco was at the table with a cup of liquid, reading the paper.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

Draco looked up and nodded. "Sure. Can I ask what kind of sheets you got?"

"Nothing horrendous," Harry said. "Molly--Mrs. Weasley--had wanted to go with me some years back, to get some." He shivered. "She said maybe some nice floral ones, to lighten up the rooms. I'm glad I waited."

Draco laughed. "Still--what colours?"

"A lot of dark colours," Harry said. "I'm no good at matching colours so I made sure to match the sheets and curtains. Make one room one colour and so on."

Draco sighed and shook his head. "I should've expected no less."

"If you think you can match them together, you can," Harry said. "It's just that I'm pants at that sort of thing."

"Did you get some rugs, too?" Draco asked. "Or did you want to go with just the bare wood?"

"I was going to," Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck, "but the shop didn't have just plain rugs. I didn't know where to start."

Draco bit his lip. "If you want, you can order some catalogs and I'll see what would be best."

Harry, for some reason he didn't know, felt warm at the idea of Draco picking out something to go in the house. He told himself not to let the feeling colour his checks, but he just knew they were pink. "I'll see what I can do about those catalogs, then. It'd be nice to have something. Not wall-to-wall. I like the wood floors, but it'd be nice to have something on them."

Draco smiled and Harry was caught off-guard by the honesty there. It also made Draco look younger, like before he had been haunted by Voldemort's task and made the other man's face light up. "No problem, Harry. I think we can figure out something that isn't floral or tacky."

Harry laughed. "We can only hope so."

"So, the doxies then?"

~~~

It took them all morning to get rid of the last doxy and call for Kreacher to take them out. After they had lunch, Harry showed Draco the sheets he had picked up.

"These are good colours, Harry," Draco remarked. "Good quality, too. I'm impressed."

Harry blushed, thinking back to yesterday when he had considered what Draco had grown up with in his choice of quality. "I ran out of colours because of the number of rooms so I had to get different shades."

Draco nodded to himself. "The curtains look good, too."

Harry didn't know why he felt proud when he heard that. "So we just need to clean the last of dust and dirt and grime from the rooms and we can put these in."

"And then we start on that library," Draco said, smiling at Harry again.

Harry felt something warm in his belly and butterflies in his chest. "Or the living room."

Draco shook his head. "No, the library. There's a couple of cursed objects in there and the sooner you can get them to the ministry, the better."

Harry nodded as he considered that. "Since I cleaned out the upstairs of any objects, why don't we go through the library and get them all to the ministry by tomorrow?"

Draco looked surprised. "A real plan then? You keep amazing me!"

Harry laughed. "I'm full of those. Let me get the last bag I've got so we can do that."

Draco did that honest smile again. "I just knew we would work well together."

"Imagine what Snape would have thought," Harry said quietly, lost in his thoughts.

That smile faltered, but never faded. "Probably have a heart attack."

"Well, let's get to it," Harry mumbled, wishing he had never brought up the subject of their former Potions teacher.

Draco walked by him, their hands brushing against each other. "Imagine what your friends will think, too."

Harry laughed.

 

_On the ninth day..._

Harry left before breakfast to get the items they had put together from the library and from what he had grabbed from the upstairs to the Ministry. It was early so there were few other people in the building and he made it easily to the office that had been created after the war specifically for the collection of cursed objects.

It had started out as a simple bargaining chip. People who were found guilty of whatever war crimes could find their sentence less if they came clean with any cursed family heirlooms. Since so many families still had such cursed objects about their homes, it had been too much for one office to handle since it had been doing so many other runs in the country to where relentless Death Eaters were causing trouble. Hence, the creation of a new, temporary office.

Thankfully, the Ministry was still searching homes that had been left with no heir and the office was still needed. So, when Harry dropped off the five bags, he was grateful not to have to deal with a secretary who was overrun and hassled.

He met Hermione in the Atrium as she was going in for her training in the Department of Mysteries. She asked how he was getting along with Draco and checked him for any wounds. She obviously found the ones that were just healed from their fight, but he quickly assured her it was in the past and they were getting along better for it.

Since she didn't look like she believed him, he told her to visit for dinner that night to see for herself. She agreed and said she would be over probably about seven.

It was only after he saw Draco making breakfast, that he wondered if perhaps he should have asked if it was all right with Draco. Which then made him shake his head. It wasn't like they were together, was it? He didn't have to ask permission before inviting someone over. Still...the guilt was there.

"Morning," Harry called out as he hung his cloak in the hall and went in to get a cup of coffee.

"Morning," Draco said.

As Harry wondered how he would say something to Draco about Hermione, Draco put the meal on the table and looked up at Harry. "All right?" He looked worried and Harry realized that since they barely knew each other, Draco probably was thinking that maybe Harry would bring him back to Azkaban.

"I invited Hermione over for dinner," Harry blurted out.

Draco blinked and then started worrying his lip. "No problem. I'll make sure I'm upstairs when she comes over."

"No!" Harry said and took a deep breath. "It's just...she didn't believe me when I told her we were getting along and that other than that one fight, we haven't fought. I thought that maybe, if she came over, she would believe me."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "She didn't believe you?"

Harry looked away, feeling sheepish. "I haven't told her some things in the past and lied about some."

"Ah," Draco said. "So...you want me to meet her?"

Harry wanted to joke and ask Draco not to greet her as a Mudblood, but he knew that Draco wouldn't take that as a joke. Instead, he said, "Yeah. If you want to. She'll be coming over for dinner, so if you don't mind eating late..."

Draco smiled. "That's fine. Gives us plenty of time to fix up at least one of the rooms so she has a decent place to sleep if she's over later than she expects."

Harry felt relieved. "Yeah. Sounds good." He remembered suddenly that he had also stopped by Diagon Alley to pick up some catalogs. He pulled them out of his pocket, reversing the shrinking charm, and gave them to Draco. "These are the catalogs for the rugs. You can look over them when you get some time."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Don't you care to know which ones I choose?"

Harry blushed, realizing what that implied. "I trust your taste."

Draco smirked and licked his lips as he took the catalogs. "No problem. I promise not to make it look too bad."

Harry laughed weakly and tucked into breakfast, too embarrassed and confused to say anything else.

~~~

Not only did Harry need some space away from Draco to think, but to save time and get the job done faster, they split up and cleaned separate rooms. It was five when Harry finished up his set of rooms and he took a shower.

"I'll set up one of the rooms so you can start dinner, okay?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded. "Sure."

"Does she prefer purple or red?" Draco asked. "I wanted to start with either of those, but if she likes one better than the other..."

Harry flushed, remembering exactly why he had chosen the red sheets. There was only one set of the red for a reason--Harry was sure Draco would look spectacular against them. "Th-the purple ones."

Draco gave Harry a long look. "Are you all right?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah." He cleared his throat as his voice had cracked. "I'm going to the kitchen."

Draco smirked as Harry left.

~~~

Hermione arrived early and she looked surprised to find both boys in the kitchen, comfortable with each other.

"Hey!" Harry called as he put one of the burners on low and ran over to give Hermione a hug.

Draco clucked his tongue and went over to finish stirring the rice. Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry, who had turned to look at Draco. "Thanks."

Draco waved him off and Harry brought Hermione over to the table. "Did you finish early?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It was an easy day." She dragged the book Draco had been reading over to herself. "Catalogs, Harry?"

Harry nodded, blushing a little. He wondered if he was going to start getting dizzy, with the way his blood kept rushing around all the time. "Yeah. I got the rooms cleared out of all the cursed objects and we cleaned them out. I got some bed linens and curtains, but I didn't know which rugs to choose."

Hermione looked gleeful. "And Draco is picking them out?"

Harry cleared his throat as he looked away, at anything other than Hermione and Draco. "Well, yeah. He knows these sorts of things better than I do. Besides, he's going to be staying here for a while. It's not right that he's got to look at something garish."

Hermione looked at Draco who had turned from the stove and when he saw her looking at him, he winked. "It figures the hero doesn't know if red goes with blue."

Harry threw a dishtowel at the other wizard. "Hey!"

Draco chuckled and threw it back. "Finish up this meal. Seems to be the only thing you're good at."

Harry stuck his tongue out and turned to Hermione. "This after he told me that I don't know how to make a pot of tea."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Just finish this."

Hermione laughed at their camaraderie. Draco took back the catalog and started flipping through it again. "So, do you believe Harry now?"

Hermione nodded, looking between them. "I do. I'm glad."

"Now we just need to break this to Ron," Harry said as he put the food on the table.

Hermione shook her head. "One thing at a time, Harry. I haven't told him yet about Malfoy staying here."

"Surely one of his brothers has told him," Harry said.

Hermione shook her head. "They've all been so busy, with George and everything else. They didn't know you had left the country, Harry. I'm sure they don't know Malfoy is staying here."

Harry raised his eyebrows at her. "I thought you were staying with them?"

"I couldn't," she said. "Mrs. Weasley keeps going on about how it's time to move on and one of the best ways is to settle down, start a family. I tried to tell her I want to start my career first and Ron wants to at least try out for one of the Quidditch teams, which if he gets a position, he'll be traveling."

"Not a good time to settle down," Harry agreed.

"Besides, we need first to rebuild our society," Draco added. "We do need to do something about the wizarding population, but how can we do that on a broken back?"

Hermione smiled brightly. "Exactly!"

Harry smiled watching them. He was glad they could get along. Something, deep inside, had hoped they would because he knew he wanted Draco around for a long time.

Now he just wondered if Draco would want to be.

~~~

Later on, after Draco had said he was going to bed, Harry and Hermione went into the library which had been cleaned the day they had purged it. Harry had never realized it before, but once cleaned up, the Black Manor looked beautiful. The library did need a new chandelier as this one was chipped and cracked beyond repair, but other than that, it looked good.

"I can't believe this house is beginning to actually look habitable," Hermione said as she took in everything.

"I'm going to get some paint and paint the walls," Harry said. "Nothing too bright, but something other than black."

"Maybe a light yellow?" Hermione suggested. "It's not dark and if it's a lighter yellow, it won't be bright."

"Maybe," Harry said. He also thought about a spring green. That would look nice, too.

"So, what's going on between you and Draco?" Hermione asked.

Harry inhaled his tea at her bluntness and coughed. He was sure he'd never looked so red. "What makes you think there's anything going on?"

Hermione leaned back in her chair. "The way you two look at each other when you think the other isn't looking. Tell me, Harry. What's going on?"

Harry sighed, knowing there was no possible way to get out of this. Besides, if he said it aloud, he would be less confused. "I'm...not sure."

Hermione looked like she understood. She moved closer to him. "Just talk to me, Harry. You know I'll listen."

Harry nodded. He knew that. He also knew she wouldn't judge him or yell at him. "He hasn't said anything, Hermione. I know I haven't either, but it would help if I knew what he was thinking. I mean, I didn't even think I liked men _that_ way until I saw him bending over one day when he was cleaning. And then, we accidentally brushed fingers and...well, it wasn't amazing, but there was something there. And he's been flirting with me...at least, I think he has been."

"Have you been flirting back?" she asked.

"I...think so," Harry said. Had he?

She smiled. "How would you feel about being in a relationship with him?"

Harry started at the question. How did he feel about that? He knew he had been wondering what it would be like to have sex with Draco, but he had been so confused to even think about anything like a relationship. Did he want one with Draco? Was wanting sex with someone enough for a relationship?

"Harry," Hermione called. When he looked at her, she smiled softly. "Talk to him. You're the Gryffindor here. He's probably as confused as you are."

Harry nodded. "Probably. Thanks, Hermione."

She smiled as she stood up. "You’re welcome. Thanks for dinner. I should go since I've got to be at the office by seven."

"You can stay here, if you want," Harry suggested. "Draco made sure to set up one of the rooms if you choose to."

She shook her head. "No, thanks. Besides, if I wanted to stay with sexual tension, I'd stay with Ron." She winked at him and with one last hug she was gone through the Floo.

Instead of going to bed, Harry stayed downstairs, staring into the fire. He and Draco had been talking quite a bit the last couple of days as they had worked their way through cleaning the house and Harry knew that at the very least, they were friends. Was it enough, though?

"Harry?"

Harry turned and smiled at Draco. "Hey."

"She went home, then?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded. "Said she felt more comfortable at her house." It was only a partial lie. Right?

"Are you okay?"

Harry sighed and shrugged. "I think so."

Draco sat on the couch next to Harry. "You looked really upset when I came down."

Harry took a deep breath. "It's just...I mean...are you gay?" Fuck. Harry closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean...sorry."

Draco laughed. "It's okay. I thought it would be obvious by now, but, yes, Harry, I am gay." He took Harry's hands in his own. "Are you?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I think I'm bisexual."

"Well, I know you have kissed a girl," Draco said. "I think you should kiss a boy to be sure."

Harry looked into Draco's eyes, seeing nothing but kindness there. _Better do it now,_ he thought to himself. Before he could lose his bravery, Harry leaned forward to kiss Draco. It was nice, but he tried to make it quick, so it wouldn't look like he was trying to force himself on the other wizard. Draco cupped the back of Harry's head and kept their lips pressed together.

Harry put his hand on Draco's thigh to keep his balance and Draco sighed into the kiss. Harry slipped his tongue into Draco's mouth and they both moaned softly when their tongues caressed each other. They kept kissing until they couldn't breathe any longer.

Draco licked his swollen lips. "That was amazing."

Harry nodded. "It was." He bit his lip. "Draco--"

Draco put his finger on Harry's lips. "We're not in grade school any longer. Don't even think about asking me to be your boyfriend." He was smirking playfully so Harry didn't take it as an insult.

"Wasn't going to," Harry mumbled. "I just...what now?"

Draco chuckled. "I think the adults call it 'dating', Harry."

Harry lightly hit Draco's arm. "Prat."

Draco kissed Harry again. "Honestly, Harry, I like you. I never thought you'd be this way."

"You made that clear in school," Harry said. "I'm finding the same about you."

"Good. Let me just ask--that thing about the rugs wasn't some ploy to ask me out, right?"

"Of course not. Now, hush. I want to kiss you again."

"Mmm."

_On the tenth day..._

Harry woke up with a smile on his face and felt more rested than he had in some time. He hadn't realized how much stress he'd been feeling with the trials and how much sleep he was losing over it until now. Which led him to wonder about how the public really felt about him taking Draco in.

Hmm. Something to find out later.

He passed the living room on his way to the kitchen and stopped when he saw the Christmas tree. Instead of starting breakfast, he sat down on the couch, thinking. What if--?

He started when Draco sat next to him and took his hand. "Okay?"

Harry smirked. "You keep asking me that. I like it."

Draco blushed and looked away. "So, what's up?"

"I was wondering--do you think your mum would like to join us here?" Harry asked. It wasn't a matter of her being under house arrest. After she had turned in all of the cursed heirlooms in the house and vaults and Harry had submitted his testimony for what she had done for him in the war, the courts had exonerated her of all charges. She was more free than her son at the moment.

Draco stared at Harry. "You...what?"

Harry smirked. "Do you think your mum would like to spend Christmas here, with us?"

"Aren't you going to the Weasleys?" Draco asked. "I thought you went every year?"

"They're in Italy this year," Harry said. "I was going to be here by myself until you came here. Why not invite your mum?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't see why not. It'll be better for her than staying at that house."

"Go ahead and Floo her, then," Harry said. "I'm going to start breakfast."

He patted Draco's knee and went into the kitchen to give his...lover privacy. He smiled, giddy, knowing he could call Draco his lover. He knew they weren't technically lovers yet, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be long. His cock liked that idea, too, as it jumped in his pants. He hoped it would calm down before Draco got back.

He had set two plates of waffles down when Draco came in and thankfully, Harry was already beginning to sit down. No way Draco could see his boner.

"Will she be coming?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Draco said. "We need to go to the market today, you know."

Harry nodded. "I don't have any of the fixings for the dinner and I still need to get you a gift."

Draco looked up sharply. "No, Harry. Please."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "And why not? I want to. If it's a matter of you not getting me a gift, I told you I would pay you for the work you did."

Draco flushed. "I don't want it!"

Harry put his fork down, unable to stop his hands from shaking. "And why not? You deserve it. You've worked hard."

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Harry...it wouldn't be right. It doesn't feel right."

"Why not? I don't understand!"

"Because...because I don't want to get paid for doing something that...it feels like I'm being paid to make over my own home!"

The pieces clicked into place for Harry. He smiled softly and rounded the table so he could pull Draco into a hug. "I'm sorry."

Draco laughed weakly. "It's okay. I should've explained before. Besides, it's not like...it's my home. I mean, as soon as the court says so, I'll be back at the Manor."

Harry tensed up. He pulled away from Draco. "What?"

Draco blinked owlishly. "It's what you want, right? I'm only staying here for a bit."

"What about last night?"

"So? It's not like we have to move in right away. My mother always told me to take it slow."

Harry cupped Draco's face. "I want you here, Draco. I can't imagine staying here without you. It doesn't feel right." Well, he hadn't thought about it before. Now, however, he knew it was true. "Or we can go to the Manor together. I don't care which."

Draco smirked. "Is that so, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded. "It is."

Draco took a calming breath and kissed Harry. "I still feel bad about you getting me a present."

"I thought your mum had access to the family vaults," Harry said. He hadn't thought about it before, but why couldn't Draco get it from there?

"They can't give it to me, Harry," Draco said. "It was all released to my mum and until the court releases me fully, I can't access it."

"And who says she can't give her only son money?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Draco's face lit up. "Thank you!" He jumped up, kissed Harry, and ran back to the Floo.

Chuckling, Harry cast a Warming Charm on Draco's food and finished his own.

~~~

"Are you sure no one will recognize me?" Draco asked nervously.

Harry looked at him and smiled. "They won't. You don't have blond hair anymore, your eyes are blue, and you have more colour now. You look nothing like a Malfoy."

"Very good, Mr. Potter," Narcissa Malfoy said as she glided over to them, "but it is best if you don't talk about it in public."

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry."

She smiled fondly at him. "If you want, I'll take James to the shops so he can buy your gift. We'll join you in the market when we are done."

Harry nodded. "Sure." He pulled Draco close and kissed him. He heard the flash of a camera go off in the distance. "Remember. You're a British citizen who's family fled in the first war to a British community in America. You came back because you wanted to see your birth country and fell completely in love with me."

Draco laughed. "Hello, my name is James Johnson." He looked at his mum. "And why is she with me? That part I didn't get."

"Because she was the only one we could get in contact with to show you the Alley to buy me a gift," Harry said, tweaking that nose that he had refused to change. It was adorable. "Draco offered her services."

"Which I am quite miffed about," she said, looking haughty. "Honestly, the nerve of my son to offer me to escort a stranger around!" She smiled. "Still, he is British and rather cute. I approve, Mr. Potter."

Harry knew she had said it so that whoever was listening to them would catch it. Draco--James--stepped forward and offered her his arm. "Shall we, then?"

She smiled and nodded. "We'll be seeing you, Mr. Potter."

Harry bid them a safe tour and went off to find the gifts for Draco and his mum. After all, it would be impolite if he didn't.

~~~

When they got to the house, they went in separate directions to wrap gifts. Harry was the first finished and he happily put up the stocking he had bought for Draco. It was near bulging with the little gifts, but Harry was sure that Draco would love it. He started dinner soon after and called Draco down when it was ready.

"It's a good thing Mother taught me how to wrap gifts," Draco muttered, "or I'd never get done."

Harry laughed. "You could just hand them to me, love, and I would still love them."

Draco smiled. "A green stocking, by the way? Where did you find that thing?"

"In a little shop that I never went into before," Harry said. "I also found more ornaments for the tree. I haven't put them on yet if you want to help."

"Good," Draco said. "Your tree looks rather bare."

Harry smiled and blushed. "We'll have to pick some up for next year."

Draco's response was quiet and a bit late. "I'd like that."

They finished their meal in silence and washed the dishes before going to the living room to put the extra decorations on. Draco noticed the Muggle lighting.

"How did you get them to work in here?"

"Hermione," Harry said. "She found a spell some of the Muggle-borns and half-bloods use. When a wizard or witch casts a spell, they release excess magic. With all the household charms we use, it's a lot of magic just hanging out. This spell uses that magic like electricity."

Draco nodded. "Amazing."

Harry smiled and pulled Draco to him. They stayed like that for a bit, holding each other by the fireplace and gazing at the tree.

"Thanks, Harry, for taking me in," Draco said.

Harry smiled and tightened his arms around Draco. "You’re welcome." He kissed Draco's neck.

Draco turned in Harry's arms and they started kissing. Draco pushed Harry onto his back, casting a Cushioning Charm, and slowly started unbuttoning Harry's shirt. He moved away from Harry's lips to kiss his chin, then his neck, and then down his chest. He stopped to bite a little at Harry's nipples, causing Harry to cry out.

He smirked at Harry's reaction and then continued to move down. He unbuttoned Harry's jeans and when he was level with the waistband, he looked up at Harry, silently asking for permission. Harry smiled and lifted his hips. Draco laughed a little, sounding delighted, and then tugged both jeans and underwear off and away.

He resumed his kissing, on Harry's hips and thighs and pelvis before he finally licked at the tip of Harry's erection.

Harry had had blowjobs before--Ginny was rather fond of them, surprisingly--but it had never been like this. Draco had built up to it, made Harry almost plead for it, and even after he had started on the blowjob itself, took his time.

After licking the tip, Draco licked the underside and down to the base before tracing the vein underneath back to the tip. He wrapped his lips around the tip and then slowly took more of Harry in his mouth. He would take another inch in, suck, and then move down. Harry clutched at his own hair, so he wouldn't force Draco.

He was so hard he hurt, yes, and he did want to come badly, but he liked this. It felt like they were doing more than something sexual; it felt like Draco was making love to him.

Draco put a hand over Harry's hips so the other boy wouldn't start jerking them, making him gag. He could control his gag reflex, but he wasn't so good with it that he would be able to control it if Harry started moving.

Draco's hand wrapped around the base, twisting it ever so slowly as he bobbed his head up and down, every now and then stopping to suck either the tip or what he had taken in. When he saw that Harry's erection had turned purple from the blood, he removed his hand and slowly took the entire thing in.

Harry let out a harsh breath and Draco smiled. He bobbed his head a few times, slowly, so Harry would feel Draco's throat clenching around it, and when he was ready, he went all the way down to the base. Taking a deep breath, he swallowed a final time and with a shout, Harry came. Draco happily swallowed every last drop.

Harry had closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Draco moved so he could lie next to Harry, putting his hand over Harry's heart.

"That...was..." Harry panted. He shook his head.

Draco smiled and kissed Harry. "You’re welcome, Harry."

"Mmm," Harry said. "Very good."

They sat, both of them content for the moment. Draco paid his erection no mind. He didn't expect Harry to reciprocate, given that the other boy probably had never had any experience with that sort of thing. He had learned how to ignore it, anyway, when he had been living under the same roof as Voldemort and his inner circle. If he had masturbated then, one of the other Death Eaters or even Voldemort would catch him and force him to continue as they watched or even whipped him.

He shook his head to clear it of those dark times and focused on watching Harry. The firelight danced off the sweat covering Harry's skin and he kissed the golden skin. Harry was amazing to him.

Suddenly, Draco found himself on his back with Harry hovering over him. "Harry, you don't have to--"

Harry silenced him with a slow kiss. "I want to. I won't promise that it'll be good as I've never done this before, but I'm going to try."

Draco smiled. "I'm waiting."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "You better be quiet or I'll gag you."

"Mmm, kinky," Draco said, waggling his eyebrows. Harry raised an eyebrow and wandlessly called for his underwear. He stuffed it in Draco's mouth which only made him smile at Harry. He clasped his hands together and put them above his head, lifting his hips.

Harry unbuttoned Draco's shirt and pulled down the pants far enough that the erection was free. He pulled back and sighed at the sight that Draco made. "Beautiful," he mumbled as he worshiped Draco's body more than Draco had with Harry.

He covered every inch of that body that his lips could find and traced the ridges with his tongue. As he moved down, he took stock of the way the pale skin glistened with his saliva and Draco's sweat. It made him look like an ice sculpture, perfectly preserved just for Harry to enjoy.

He wrapped his hand around the base of the cock and tasted the precum dripping from the slit. He moaned at the taste and dipped his tongue in the slit to get more. Draco's hips lifted from the floor, his moan sounding amazing even as muffled as it was. Harry's other hand quickly pushed Draco's hip to the floor so Harry wouldn't choke.

He bobbed his head, exactly as Draco had done, and he tried sucking when he pulled back which, from the explosion of taste on his tongue, he was glad he had tried. After a few moments, he stopped bobbing and pulled his hand away to rub his tongue at the base and the balls below. They pulled up and crinkled at the sensation and he smiled, making a note to remember for future use.

Figuring he had tortured Draco long enough, he wrapped the base in his hand and started the bobbing-sucking he had been doing before. It didn't take long for Draco to scream into Harry's underwear and for Harry to eagerly swallow Draco's spunk.

He rested his head on the hip only to be pulled up and kissed forcefully.

"No one...ever took so long..." was mumbled between kisses.

"You started it," Harry said.

Draco laughed and hugged Harry to him.

_On the eleventh day..._

Harry was humming to himself as he made breakfast. _Humming._ When he had woken up that morning, he had stayed in bed for a few moments, thinking about the past week. He was surprised at the way that he and Draco had progressed from being school rivals to lovers. He had almost forgotten about Draco after the other boy's trial, other than to wonder why the Wizengamot thought it best to sentence the wizard--who had barely played a part in the war--to 50 years in the prison.

If one of them had continued to act on guard, defensively or offensively, to the other, Harry was sure that after the three month period, he and Draco would have parted ways to never talk again.

He had chuckled when he imagined them down the road, each married to a witch and with a couple of kids. They would glare at each other across the platform in August even as they bade their children a good school year. The reporters would remark how odd it was that even after more than a decade, they remained rivals.

Harry had shaken his head at that point and taken his shower. He much liked their present and what was becoming their future. His cock liked that idea, too, and as he wanked under the shower head, he wondered if he had to take it slow with Draco as he would have with a girl. He didn't want to rush Draco, but he really wanted to know how tight Draco was and how Draco would look, writhing under him.

Standing at the stove, Harry groaned as his body responded again to thoughts of Draco.

"Why'd you stop humming, love?" Draco asked as he wrapped his arms around Harry's waist.

Harry blushed but smirked. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Draco asked. He snagged a piece of sausage that Harry had just put onto a plate.

"Us," Harry answered. He turned off the burners as the food was done and turned in Draco's arms. "And other things." He thrust his hips forward, almost shyly, not knowing how Draco would respond to it.

Draco smirked and slipped his hands down to Harry's hips. "Mmm. I like the way you think." He bit Harry's neck and then soothed it by licking it.

Harry groaned and tipped his head back. As good as it all felt--especially when Draco ground their hips together--Harry didn't fancy burning his hands or back on the still hot stove. He used his hands to turn them and then pull Draco over to the table. He sat in one of the chairs and made Draco sit in his lap.

"Mmm," Draco moaned into Harry's mouth. "Sex in the morning." 

Harry smirked and kept kissing Draco as they moved their hands over their chests, and thrust their hips together. As Harry felt his orgasm close in, he cupped Draco's arse to make the grinding harder, almost to the point where it might be bruised from the force.

"Oh, yes, Harry," Draco moaned out. "Like that. Just like that. Don't stop."

Harry was beyond words and only puffed out his breath onto Draco's neck. They came together, their muscles freezing up as their come stained the insides of their pajama bottoms.

"Just when I think it won't get any better," Harry huffed out.

Draco laughed and kissed Harry, sans tongue. "I cannot wait to feel you inside of me, Harry. Imagine how it'll feel, with my arse squeezing that cock of yours."

Harry groaned and dropped his head onto Draco's shoulder. "Don't do that to me. Or I'll have you bent over the table, pants down."

Draco eyes went wide in feigned innocence. "But Harry! What would the neighbors think if they saw us through the window?"

Harry waggled his eyebrows. "They'll just see that lovely arse and wish they were the ones fucking it."

"To think--the Savior of the wizarding world, a hidden exhibitionist," Draco chuckled. He kissed Harry again and then gestured to their pants. "A little clean-up?"

Harry called his wand and did a quick clean-up spell. "Breakfast?"

Draco smirked. "You mean afters?"

Harry shrugged. "So the blowjob will be...what? After-afters?"

Draco laughed so hard he started to hyperventilate.

~~~

Despite it being Christmas Eve, they finished making the beds and then started on the living room and the dining room. It was as they finished putting a new coat of finish on the wood that Harry realized that he had neither a tablecloth nor fine china.

"I wonder if there are any shops open today that'll sell me something to serve the food on," Harry muttered. He was glaring at the table, arms crossed.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You mean Mrs. Weasley didn't make sure there were any?"

Harry shook his head. "No. We had the basics for serving twenty-four people after a meeting, but there were never any fine dishes or cutlery. Or tablecloths. Besides, as much as I love that bunch, they are rather messy and any point of using fine things would go to waste."

Draco laughed. "I don't think any of the shops in Diagon Alley are open, but I recall Mother complaining about the Muggle heathens who dared to be open on Christmas Eve."

"Must've been talking about Harrods," Harry murmured. "Do you want to stay here or would like to go with me to figure out which dishes would look better against which tablecloth?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "As if I would ever let you choose anything, Harry. Your taste is horrendous." He smiled and winked so Harry knew it was a joke. "Besides, even if I did trust you, I doubt you would know to pick up a silk or cotton tablecloth instead of a polyester one." He shivered. "My mother will know the difference."

Harry sighed. "I figured she would. Good thing I've got you, eh?"

Draco laughed and nodded. "And what about some candles? Or some holiday swags for this room?"

Harry went over and kissed Draco, long and deep. "Sounds like a plan."

Draco snuggled into Harry's chest. "What would you do without me, love?"

"Suffer a Christmas alone?" Harry joked. "Without any taste at all?"

"Mm, probably," Draco said. 

They looked at each other before breaking out in laughter.

~~~

"I have never seen so many people!" Draco groused as they entered the house. "How are there so many of them?"

Harry raised his eyebrow. "The same way wizards do it, love."

"Ha, ha," Draco said, narrowing his eyes. "Honestly, though. No wonder so many wizards and witches bemoan our population and culture."

Seeing it that way, Harry could agree. Something did need to be done. First things first, though. "We need to find the tacks. I'm sure a sticking charm would work, but I'd rather trust something that Muggles prefer."

Draco chuckled, hanging up his coat. "I remember one year at the Manor. I was by myself when my parents went to some ball. I was wandering around and got curious about how the garlands stayed where they were. I found out that the house-elves sometimes used tacks, instead of any charm or elf magic."

Harry laughed, bending over to check the bucket he had under the coat rack to collect melting snow or rain water. He liked using the bucket instead of the water dripping onto the wood and staining it. "Could you go put the tablecloth in the washer?"

"What for?" Draco asked, looking genuinely curious.

"Muggles mass-produce their items in factories which can get very dirty," Harry answered. "I'd rather make sure that it is clean before I eat on it."

Draco looked at the package the tablecloth was in. "Odd creatures, these Muggles." He shook his head. "I'll make sure to use a bit more soap and put it in on the heavy setting."

Harry smiled as he watched his lover walk to the back and went to the kitchen where he was sure he had last seen the tacks. Sure enough, they had been stuffed into a drawer that held more things than Harry was sure were possible. He grabbed the swags and started putting them up.

"Need a hand, dear?" Draco asked as he steadied the step-ladder Harry was using.

Harry nodded. "Hand me a tack when I ask?"

Draco held up one instead of answering. "I suppose those dishes have to be washed as well?"

"Of course," Harry said. "The Muggles mass produced everything."

"And they swear it's all good quality?" Draco questioned. He handed over another tack before steadying Harry as he leaned over to put up the next section.

"They do," Harry said. "Personally, I like artisan and hand-crafted dishes. Makes it more unique."

Together, they pushed the ladder over. "We'll have to get some next year," Draco said. "Maybe have everyone over?"

Harry put up the end of the string he had been working on and then turned so he could look at Draco. "Everyone?"

Draco was blushing as he nodded and used his hand to show that there would be enough room at the table. "Why not? I'm pretty sure it'll be better than crowding around the Weasley table or going to the Manor where no one will be comfortable."

Harry kissed Draco, pulling the other boy close by his arse. "So long as you don't think your mum will be uncomfortable."

"I think it'll be good for her," Draco said.

"Just imagine how much food we'll have to pick up," Harry joked.

Draco laughed. "Enough for an army?"

"Probably." Harry kissed Draco's nose. "Tell you what? Why doesn't one of us wash those dishes while the other puts these up? Then we can have dinner early so we have more time to sit and watch the tree."

"Sounds good," Draco said. "I'll wash the dishes. Whoever finishes first makes dinner?"

"Done."

~~~

Harry chose to sit on the floor in front of the fire, pulling Draco down to sit between his legs. Despite protesting about it being plebeian, he sat, probably remembering what they had done the night before. Harry marveled that there were few other times he had felt this content and happy. And in love.

"I still can't believe that you got me a stocking," Draco murmured.

Harry hummed. "Says he who got presents for mine."

Draco playfully swatted Harry's arm where it was curled around Draco's stomach. "Hush, you. I was making a joke at your expense, not to let you take a jab at me."

"Well, then, who am I to stop you?" Harry laughed. He kissed Draco's head. "This is so much better than what I had planned."

"Oh?"

"Mmm. I was planning to get wasted tonight and then wallow in the hangover tomorrow."

"I was surprised none of the Weasleys invited you anywhere." Draco turned in Harry's arms. "Why didn't they?"

Harry shrugged. "I think they just forgot about it. They were all happy to finally see Voldemort fall and they all survived. I think they also all assumed that someone else was inviting me."

Draco kissed Harry. "Their loss then. I think I rather like having you all to myself."

Harry smiled and returned the kiss. "I agree." He licked his lips as he watched the fire chase shadows over Draco's skin. His hands, without asking him, untucked Draco's shirt and started rubbing Draco's back. "I'm glad you were released from Azkaban, love."

Draco closed his eyes and moaned peacefully, happily. "So am I."

They shared an unhurried kiss that turned into more, little butterfly kisses over each others faces and necks. When they met again on the lips, Harry swiped his tongue across Draco's lips and moaned greedily when he could slip inside to twine it around Draco's.

He tried to take off Draco's shirt, but Draco stopped him. "Let's go upstairs."

Harry nodded in a daze and let Draco take his hand to lead him to the second floor. Draco raised an eyebrow, asking who's room to go to. Harry remembered they had put the red sheets in his room earlier and pulled the blond wizard to his room.

Taking their time, again, they pulled off their tops and kissed again, rubbing their hands up and down each other's skin. Harry pushed Draco onto the bed, noting absently that Draco did look good on those red sheets, and they resumed kissing. Harry shifted to his side without breaking it and rolled one of Draco's nipples between two fingers.

"Feels good," Draco whispered. He moved Harry's fingers to his belly button. "This feels even better."

Harry raised an eyebrow and started ghosting his hand over the skin. Draco closed his eyes and moaned quietly, almost purring. Harry watched as his own hand swept through the light dusting of hair below the belly button and then ran his finger around the edge. Draco moaned louder so Harry scooted down so he could tongue fuck the hole.

While Draco's hips were lifted, Harry unbuttoned the pants and pulled it off along with Draco's underwear. When he paused to look at Draco, Draco tugged him up to do the same to Harry.

Both naked now, they leaned on their sides, pressing close, kissing again. It was a slow build up, the kiss and their hands roaming again. Harry inched closer to Draco's hole until Draco begged him to touch it. Harry stopped them to get the lube from his bedside table and after wetting three fingers, started to finger fuck Draco.

Draco performed beautifully. He closed his eyes, moaning, and his hips pushed back against Harry's hand. He kept asking for more until Harry had almost his whole hand in Draco's arse.

"Now, Harry," he finally said. "Need you."

Harry, hardly believing it was happening, rolled them so Draco was under him. "Need you, too."

Draco smirked, eyes half-open and raised his legs up, spreading them. Harry coated his erection in lube and after a few jabs, pushed in. Slowly. They both moaned when he was in balls-deep and Harry swore he had never felt closer to anyone.

Draco tugged him close to share a kiss. "Move, Harry. Please. I need you to."

It went by faster than their foreplay had. Harry wanted to take his time, make it last, but what he had failed to notice when preparing Draco was how turned on he was. The slow pace was soon torture and he couldn't stop himself from pumping his hips faster. Eventually, he had Draco's legs on his shoulders, Draco himself almost bent in half, and Harry was breathing onto Draco's ear.

When Draco turned so they could kiss, Harry wrapped a hand around Draco's cock and it was only a few strokes before Draco exploded over his hand. The orgasm caused Draco's arse to squeeze Harry wonderfully and it was only two more times before Harry was pumping come into that tight arse.

"That was un-fucking-believable," Draco said. He pushed back Harry's fringe, smiling.

Harry laughed and pulled out, having read it could hurt worse if he stayed inside after he went soft. He was struck by the sight of his come dripping out. Despite being slightly grossed out, he bent and sucked the semen out of the hole, holding Draco's hips down to keep that beautiful body still.

When there was little else coming out, Harry moved up so he could share it with Draco. He felt the stiff cock against his stomach and started to move his hips back and forth.

"Again, Harry?" Draco asked.

"If you're up for it?" Harry asked.

Draco wrapped his legs around Harry's waist and turned them so he was lying on top. He shifted back and up until he was poised above Harry's erection. Together, they got it in and Draco threw his head back when he was fully seated. "So full," he moaned.

Harry swallowed, trying not to come just by the sight of Draco riding him. He lazily helped by using his arms to lift Draco up and down, but the urge to tweak those nipples was too much and he used both hands to massage them both.

Draco was breathing deeply and harshly. "Just like that, love."

As Harry neared his orgasm, he slid his hand down the sweaty skin, to the leaking erection that bounced between them. Draco looked like he wanted to plead not to, but didn't say anything. Instead, he braced his hands on Harry's chest, leaning closer and started bouncing faster.

"Close," Harry whispered.

"Me first," Draco countered. Harry raised an eyebrow and felt Draco's hand replace his to pump faster. Once, twice and then he exploded, yelling Harry's name to the ceiling.

It was too much--between Draco's face and the muscles encasing him, Harry couldn't hold out. He lifted his hips up as his orgasm consumed him, yelling Draco's name.

Draco collapsed onto Harry, scooting forward so Harry's cock slipped out. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and rolled him to their sides. They shared breaths, laying close and hugging each other.

"That was..." Draco shook his head.

Harry smiled and kissed Draco's nose. He didn't have a word for what that had been. Amazing was just too small and inadequate. He idly cleaned the sheets with a spell and then pulled the sheet over them. He was again struck by how good Draco looked with the colour.

"I have this thought," Draco said, opening his eyes to study Harry. "You chose these colours just to see me in Gryffindor red."

"It's a darker red than what the school uses," Harry said. "It's more like the colour your cock was just before you came."

Draco laughed loudly. "I never pinned you to be such a kinky bugger."

Harry smirked. "Then you should know that the sight of you on these sheets makes me very horny."

Draco was wide-eyed. "I really can't go another round, Harry!"

"As good as that sounds," Harry said, "I can't either." He cast a charm to turn off the light and pulled Draco closer. "I think we should just sleep because we need our rest to decide what we're going to tell your mum tomorrow."

Draco's eyes went wide. "Shit."

Harry kissed Draco. "Hush, love. Tomorrow. After a good night's rest and a hot shower. When did she say she was coming over?"

"Noon," Draco answered absently.

"Sleep," Harry said. "Tomorrow."

Draco nodded, still absently, but cuddled closer to Harry who only smiled and gladly held Draco tighter.

_On the twelfth day..._

Harry woke up and didn't first think of the fact that he was not spending Christmas with any of the varied members of the "family" he had become attached to. Rather, he woke up and smiled as he watched Draco sleep. The other wizard looked rested and peaceful for the first time in some years probably and Harry felt just a hint of pride that he had helped.

Draco shifted around, looking like he was going to wake up, and Harry kissed Draco, remembering some of his fantasies from the war, of waking up knowing he was loved and cherished instead of in some bog or trench. Draco's mouth opened and his tongue curled around Harry's in welcome. It was a lazy sort of kiss, the kind that Harry had once hoped he would be the recipient of one day.

"Mmm," Draco said. "Morning."

"Happy Christmas," Harry said. He ran a finger down Draco's still warm cheek.

Draco looked...content. "Happy Christmas."

Harry kissed Draco again, just because he could. "So, do you want the first shower or would you like to shower together?"

Draco bit his lip and blushed. "I recall seeing a rather large claw-foot bathtub in this house. It functioned last I checked."

Harry giggled as his cock jumped, imagining all the filthy things they could get into with that large of a tub. "I think I have some candles around here somewhere."

"Vanilla ones?" Draco asked with a hopeful look on his face.

"And I think some lavender ones," Harry said. "Tell you what. Go get the bath ready and I'll get those candles."

Draco slowly sat up and poked Harry in the ribs gently. "Well, then! Go get them!"

Harry laughed and jumped up. "Race you?"

Draco laughed. "Just get those candles, Potter."

~~~

Harry smirked when he saw that Draco had all ready gotten in the tub and was relaxing with his eyes closed. Harry put the candles around the room, lighting them as he did so, and closed the curtains so that the light would be softer. There were a few wall sconces that he put on as well and smiled at the setting.

Draco still hadn't moved and Harry was glad for that. He went back into the hall to get the other items he had grabbed at the last minute from the backyard. He carefully took the petals off the roses, except for one, which he only removed the thorns from. The stems went in the garbage and the petals into the water.

The rose he had kept together he trailed down Draco's cheek and then down his chest.

"Roses, Potter?" Draco asked as he finally opened his eyes. He took the rose from Harry--a rare white rose--and smelled it.

Harry smirked as he sat in the tub, glad that the tap was actually on the side of the tub. "I'll make sure not to do it again if it bothers you."

Draco rolled his eyes as he moved to sit in between the vee of Harry's legs, facing Harry. "No one has ever given me flowers before."

Harry cupped Draco's cheek. "They should've."

Draco scoffed. "And overthrow tradition? No girl would've given me flowers!"

Harry laughed. "So there were no secret trysts with any boys in the broom closets of Hogwarts?"

Draco shook his head. "Harry, Harry. You need to learn to pay attention. If one is in a relationship or courtship, flowers are appropriate. I only ever dated girls."

"Ah. So how cramped were those closets?"

"I think there's one here that will suit for a demonstration." Draco waggled his eyebrows.

Harry tugged Draco closer, their erections bumping into each other. "Why bother? We have a whole house to fuck in."

Draco's lips twisted. "Well, so long as we can tease a few people about their room when they stay over. You know, as a general warning."

"What a way to christen a home." Harry shook his head. "So the flowers were okay?"

Draco nodded as his face softened. "Of course. I look forward to other such surprises."

"Good. I plan to give you lots of flowers."

"How did I ever think you were arrogant and conceited? You are very thoughtful."

Harry laughed and they shared another kiss before settling in for a soak. Or, at least that was what Harry had thought Draco wanted when he had suggested they use the tub. As Harry turned Draco, Draco shifted his hips so that when he sat down, his hole swallowed up Harry's cock.

They both moaned at the feeling and Harry himself marveled at how complete the feeling made him. He pulled Draco to lean on his chest and wrapped his hand around the blond's erection.

"God, Harry," Draco moaned. He turned to share a rather awkward kiss. "Never felt this good before. And we haven't even gotten into it yet."

Harry smiled and kissed that supple neck. "And why weren't we doing this in school?"

"Don't think I would have appreciated it back then," Draco replied. He started rocking, not bouncing and he was moaning loudly.

Harry chose not to say anything, instead concentrated on keeping his control. Not that it mattered. Even though Draco had started with a slow pace, he soon picked up speed and the water was spilling over the sides. Harry suspected it wasn't five minutes later before they both came, in tandem.

"Wow," Draco murmured.

Harry chuckled and kissed Draco's shoulder. "Yeah."

"I'll have you know, Potter," Draco said, "that I have never been so well fucked."

"We must just work well together," Harry said.

An alarm went off and Harry pulled Draco off his lap. "Come on. We need to get cleaned up if we want to look presentable for your mum."

~~~

Harry was in the kitchen when Narcissa came through the Floo, but he wiped his hands on a dish towel and walked into the living room to greet her. He grabbed the tea tray he had put together for her and Draco.

"Mrs. Malfoy," he said. "I'm glad you came."

She hugged him. "Narcissa, please, dear. And thank you for inviting me."

Draco was beaming. Harry winked at him. "I didn't think it was right for you to stay in the house by yourself."

"Says he who was going to do the same," Draco added.

"No matter now," Narcissa said. "We're here together. And I must say, Mr. Potter, that his house hasn't looked this good in some decades."

Harry blushed. "Thank you. Draco helped some."

Draco blushed as well. Narcissa's eyes were wide. "Really? I could never get him to clean up his room."

Harry laughed. "I had no trouble with him." He smiled at Draco. "I have to get back to the kitchen to finish dinner, but you both stay here and get caught up."

"Don't be such a girl, Harry," Draco chided. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're acting like a housewife."

Harry retaliated by pinching Draco's arse. "Hush, you."

Narcissa laughed. "I haven't seen him blush so much since he was caught masturbating by his father."

Harry laughed as Draco hissed, "Mum."

"Go on, Harry," Narcissa said. "I really do need to have a talk with Draco."

~~~

"You seem happy," Narcissa said, sitting down. She poured a cup of the fragrant tea and took two of the sugar cookies.

Draco turned from where he had been watching Harry walk into the back. "I think I am."

Narcissa sighed. "I know you are and you should know, too. In fact, I haven't ever seen you this happy."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her as he served his own tea. He sat where he could watch the tree. "It's just...odd."

"Oh?"

"I'm not used to feeling like this," he said. "I don't know what to do."

"That's why it takes two people for a relationship," she said. "So one always knows what to do."

Draco laughed. "I suppose."

They were quiet for a bit. "I think it's more than happiness, though, what you feel for him," Narcissa said as she took another cookie. It was Christmas and why shouldn't she indulge a bit?

Draco narrowed his eyes. "What?"

She raised an eyebrow, looking innocent. "I recall seeing a similar expression on your father's face in the days before he proposed to me."

"I thought it was an arranged marriage?" Draco asked, looking curious again.

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't. For once, both our parents waited for us to get out of school to determine the right partner for us. If we hadn't become engaged, we would have been in arranged marriages, yes. But your father had a crush on me when we were in fourth year and we decided to follow the rules of a courtship to determine if we would be a good match for each other. We knew that our parents would be pleased, given our bloodlines and money. So when Lucius asked for permission to court me, our parents approved.

"Neither of us expected us to fall in love. After all, crushes often are nothing and he was courting me to determine if we would be able to tolerate each other through the years of a marriage. I knew I fell in love when he saved me from a centaur that had become angry with the Care of Magical Creatures teacher. I'm not certain when he fell in love with me, but I knew when he would look at me with this particular look, like I was an angel."

She put her cup down. "It is the same look you have when you look at Harry."

Draco was stunned and he put his own cup down so he wouldn't break it as his hands started to shake. His mother sat closer to him and put her arm around his shoulders. "I wouldn't worry about it, dear. He is clearly in love with you as well. And there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, I'd say you two were destined to be from the day you met."

"What?"

She nodded. "You had been given everything your whole life. But then one boy said no to you and you followed him, trying to figure out why he said no. And every time he snubbed you or fought with you, it only made you more curious. I suspected you fought with him like a boy would push a girl into a puddle. So he would notice you. But you were just too scared to say anything."

Draco sighed and rubbed his face. "Do you really think so?"

"I do. Now, you have what you want and it is so wonderful to me to see you so happy and in love."

Draco looked to the hallway quickly. "What do I do, then?"

She laughed. "The only thing left to do. Tell him!"

~~~

Harry brought the last dish into the dining room and stood back to make sure it looked good. He didn't want there to be anything off. He hadn't been nervous until he really realized he was going to be having dinner with his lover and his lover's mum when he started bringing the food into the dining room. He wanted to make a good impression, after all. Especially if he and Draco stayed together for many years to come.

He hoped there would be many more Christmases after this one.

He went to the living room. "Lunch is ready." He started to put the tea service back together.

"I'll get it," Draco said. He took the tray from Harry. "Show Mum to the dining room. I'll be right there."

Narcissa stood, smoothing her dress down. "Well, Harry?"

Harry smiled and offered his arm, which she took as she giggled. "I hope it'll be all right. I know the elves can do a fine meal."

"I'm sure it'll be delicious, Harry," she said. She gasped when she came into the dining room. "I haven't seen this room in some years. My aunt, when she was here, wouldn't even let anyone in here. It is amazing what you did."

Harry pulled Draco to him and kissed the blond's temple. "Thank Draco. He helped and even picked out the tablecloth."

"He always did have good taste," she said.

Harry pulled out her chair for her and then Draco's. She kept smiling at them. "I think you're a rather good match for Draco. A gentleman and quite the host."

Harry blushed. "Thank you."

~~~

After dinner was done, the dishes cleaned (Harry had planned to do them himself so Draco and Narcissa would have more time to chat), and the presents opened, Harry fetched a coffee tray. When he came back to the living room, only Narcissa was in there.

"Don't worry," she said. "Draco just excused himself to go to the bathroom."

"Aha," Harry said. He put the coffee down and served both of them a cup.

"I must thank you again, Harry," she said. "Not only did you spare me a sentence to Azkaban and shorten Draco's, you took him in when the Ministry first proposed their probation program."

Harry blushed. "I was actually volunteered without my knowledge. A friend of mine did it for me. She figured if I stepped in first and took in one of the most wanted of those eligible, it would be a great example."

"You could have refused, nevertheless," she said. "Again, thank you."

"I'm glad I did," Harry said.

"Just make sure you keep taking care of him," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She smiled. "Well, I have two good eyes. I know two people who are in love when I see them."

Harry blushed. "Narcissa, I didn't...I mean..."

"Don't make a fuss, dear. I merely told you to take care of him for the treasure he is. He isn't as strong or durable as he made himself appear to be in school. He needs someone who will be gentle with him and attend to his needs without making him spoiled. I trust you to do that for him."

Harry nodded absently. "I will, ma'am. I'd like very much to take care of him."

"And don't even think about asking me for his hand," she said, giving Harry a wink. "Just marry him when you wish to."

"I'll make sure you're the first we tell."

She sighed happily. "I wish you both the best of happiness."

~~~

Draco sighed as he watched his mum disappear into the Floo. "I'm glad she was here today."

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's waist. "So am I. She's a wonderful woman and mother. I hope she will visit again."

"We'll have to introduce her carefully to the Weasleys, though," Draco said. "They can be overwhelming, from what I've seen."

"I agree." Harry said. He pulled Draco over to the sofa where they sat together, watching the snow outside.

"This has been one of the best holidays ever," Draco said. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry smiled and kissed Draco's temple. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

They were silent for some time, each lost in his thoughts. Suddenly--but slowly--Draco turned so he was facing Harry. "I love you."

Harry smiled and kissed Draco. "I know. I love you, too."

Draco was shocked. "You knew?"

"I'd have to be a blind, deaf, nerve-damaged idiot not to know," Harry said. "You've said it with your hands, your face, and with the way you talk to me."

Draco blushes. "Here I thought you were an idiot."

Harry laughed. "Of course not."

Draco kissed Harry and then settled back in his spot between Harry's legs. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's chest and together, they watched the tree until they both started falling asleep. Together, they went up to Harry's--their--room and as they settled in, Harry inwardly remarked that he hadn't been so happy since before the war.

Just as he was about to drift off completely, Draco suddenly sat up. "Harry? Do you remember if you cast the Contraception Spell?"

Harry's eyes went wide. "What Contraception Spell?"


End file.
